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(PTFS08-03-26) Impact of In Vitro Digestion on Garlic Scape Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity

Sunday, July 26, 2026
12:38 PM - 12:42 AM ET
Location: Prince George's Hall B-E (The Hub) - Poster Theater 2 / Poster Board Number: PT2-3
Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science Poster Competition

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Isabelle Yang, MSc.

    Graduate Assistant
    University of Arkansas
    Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • OA

    Oluwatobi Amusat, MSc.

    Graduate Student
    University of Arkansas
    Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States

  • HK

    Hye Won Kang, Ph.D.

    Associate Processor
    North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
    Greensboro, North Carolina, United States

  • SL

    Sun-Ok Lee, PhD

    Professor
    University of Arkansas
    Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States

Disclosure(s):
Isabelle Yang, MSc.: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Objectives: Garlic scapes are treated as agricultural waste during garlic farming in the US, but they are consumed as nutritious food in Asian countries. Garlic scapes contain various bioactive compounds that may behave differently during digestion. This study aims to investigate the impact of in vitro digestion on garlic scape bioactive compounds during the oral, gastric, and intestinal phases.

Methods: Lyophilized garlic scape (GS) powder underwent in vitro digestion using the modified INFOGEST method with sequential oral, gastric, and intestinal phases. Digesta was centrifuged, and the supernatant and residue were collected separately. Digestion samples were taken out immediately after oral digestion (OD), oral-gastric digestion (OGD), and oral-gastric-intestinal digestion (OGID). Pre-digest GS and digest residues were extracted with 70% ethanol. Total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH scavenging activity, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and major phenolic analysis via HPLC were conducted in all digest supernatants and residues, as well as pre-digest GS extract. Dietary fiber analysis was conducted on OD, OGD, and OGID residues, as well as pre-digest GS with the AOAC method. All analyses were performed in at least duplicate. All data were statistically analyzed using JMP Pro 19.

Results: In vitro OGID significantly increased GS TPC by 134%, FRAP by 54%, and DPPH by 30% compared to pre-digest GS. TPC and FRAP in the digest supernatant increased through the oral, gastric, and intestinal phases. DPPH in supernatants remained similar in the oral and gastric phases but increased sharply in the intestinal phase. The contents of four major compounds (chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and kaempferol) in GS were highest in the OGID supernatant. Ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid levels in the OGD supernatant were lower than those in the OD supernatant. In the OGID residue, the soluble fiber content was lower, and the insoluble fiber content was higher than that of pre-digest GS.

Conclusions: As major phenolics were released, garlic scape TPC, FRAP, and DPPH increased gradually through oral, gastric, and intestinal phases of in vitro digestion. Gastric digestion reduced the levels of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid.

Funding Sources: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture